Montanema Handmade Village

Montanema Handmade Village

The Montanema Handmade Village is what Greek ecotourism is all about: a green property in the midst of nature, offering great hospitality, delicious local food and a myriad of outdoor activities in the heart of the Greek mainland near a fantastic lake.

Ecotourism at its best can be enjoyed with Montanema Handmade Village as your base. Stone-built chalets that respect the environment represent the perfect setting to discover the best of rural Greece. Pick your own fruits and vegetables, hike around Lake Plastira, try a paragliding adventure or spend quality time with your family in the countryside… Montanema Handmade village will impress you in many ways.

A local breakfast with local ingredients

Breakfast at the Montanema Handmade Village is a rare treat: hand-kneaded bread made from flour that’s stone-ground nearby, village eggs right from the chicken coop onsite, delectable local goat and cow cheeses, gourmet Thessalian cold cuts, homemade jams from the region’s fruits such as fig, orange, and kumquat, fine Greek tahini, honey from the nearby mountains, and so much more. Sample the delicious local pies such as Batzina, Plastos Pita, Bulgur Pita and Greens Pita, as well as oat biscuits and homemade cakes. In winter you’ll delight in the hearty Trahana soup while in summer you’ll be impressed by the local tomatoes and cucumbers from the property’s very own organic field. Wild strawberries, berries in season, homemade yogurt, walnuts, chestnuts and dried fruit enrich this gourmet breakfast table that’s fit for a king.

Nature meets gastronomy all year round

If you go in spring you’ll enjoy the cheese-making season where guests can take part in making feta cheese and yogurt among others. In summer the whole area around the guesthouse becomes a vegetable garden, rife with local varieties of tomato, corn, squash, eggplant, peppers, cucumber and of course aromatic herbs. Naturally, all the produce and ingredients are used by the guests in preparing some of the best local dishes, making use of the wood oven as well. The fruits, nuts and berries add a sweeter dimension, offering the bounty of the mountain such as strawberries, apples, pears, kumquat, cherries and much more. All of these contribute to the variety of homemade jams, as well as fruit preserves known as “spoon sweets” in Greece.

Help gather fresh peas in summer or native potatoes in fall, join in making stone-ground cereals at the local water mill, and lend a hand in producing the strong, tasty ‘tsipouro’ liqueur. Without a doubt, this is a true paradise for those who espouse a healthier lifestyle close to nature and mountain forests.

Fascinating outdoor activities for young and old

Hiking the gorgeous trails in winter, crossing the nearby gorge in spring and setting out for a mountain picnic by the river in summer next to the river are highly recommended. Ride horses by Lake Plastira or take a tour of the lake on water pedalos. More serious cyclers can mountain bike on the trails around the lake and into the hills. Paragliding from the area of Porti and mountain climbing in nearby Mouzaki are also on the menu for eco adventurers, while those into softer activities will enjoy nature walks and archery. In winter the modest ski center of Neraida opens its doors and offers snow-filled activities in relatively mild weather. It is worth noting that Montanema Handmade Village is geared towards educating children about nature and country life, from studying wildflowers to baking biscuits.

Outstanding green philosophy

We have to congratulate Montanema Handmade Village on its green building, starting with its bioclimatic architecture and environmentally-led construction that features locally sourced wood and stone. The thick stone walls ensure warmth in the winter and a cool indoor climate in the summer, while the double-glazed wood frame windows and solar water panels ensure high energy savings. The property also uses natural energy-efficient pellets in its heat pump to provide warmth during cooler months, complementing the eco-friendly fire places.

Natural clay flooring, water from local springs, minimal impact on existing greenery, ecological mattresses, biological wastewater treatment, a low carbon footprint philosophy and a recycling policy all add to the green list of practices that Montanema Handmade Village has rigorously adopted.